Microsoft Recall is an optional feature for qualifying Copilot+ PCs, not a feature every Windows 11 user can install. It can save periodic snapshots of your screen so you can search and revisit things you have seen, but saving is off until you opt in. Microsoft says snapshots are encrypted and stored locally; that is its product description, not an independent security audit.
What Microsoft announced—and what it did not
On July 10, 2025, Microsoft said Recall was gradually becoming available to Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel in the European Economic Area (EEA). The announcement also described an EEA snapshot-export option and a reset control for Recall users worldwide. It was a preview-channel rollout, not a promise that Recall was generally available to every Windows 11 user. Microsoft’s announcement explains that rollout.
Current support guidance describes Recall as an optional feature for eligible Copilot+ PCs. Saving snapshots is off by default and requires the user to opt in. On commercial and education devices, availability is also subject to organization policy.
What Recall does on a compatible PC
After you opt in, Recall saves a snapshot of the active screen every few seconds and when the content of the active window changes. You can search using clues about text or images, browse a timeline, and return to the app, webpage, or document shown in a snapshot. Microsoft’s examples include searches such as “pie chart” and “thin crust pizza.” Microsoft’s Recall guide describes the feature and its controls.
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Microsoft describes this as snapshots, not continuous video or audio recording. It also says Recall does not store DRM content and does not save game video when Game Mode is active on supported platforms. Those are Microsoft’s documentation claims, not independently tested findings. Microsoft’s privacy guidance covers these limitations.
Check whether your Windows 11 PC qualifies
Microsoft Support lists these minimum requirements on its current guidance page, accessed September 27, 2026. The figures are requirements, not a guarantee that a particular PC configuration or region has Recall enabled.
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- 16 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.
- At least 50 GB of free storage to enable Recall.
- Device encryption or BitLocker.
- Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security with at least one biometric sign-in option.
Snapshot saving remains opt-in even on a qualifying PC. Microsoft says saving pauses automatically if free storage falls below 25 GB. The support guide has the current requirements and behavior.
Language and browser considerations
Microsoft lists English, Simplified Chinese, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish as optimized languages, with content and storage limitations. Browser filtering varies by browser:
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- Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Chrome can filter specific websites and private-browsing activity.
- Other Chromium-based browsers at version 124 or later can filter private browsing, but not specific websites.
These filtering options do not make Recall a complete record of everything you viewed; they are controls with documented limits.
What Microsoft says about privacy—and what the controls cannot guarantee
Microsoft says Recall processes content locally, encrypts snapshots and associated data on the device, and does not share snapshots with Microsoft or third parties. Opening Recall or changing its settings requires Windows Hello authentication. These are Microsoft’s stated design and behavior; the available documentation does not establish an independent audit of the implementation. Microsoft’s privacy and control page describes the safeguards.
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You can pause or disable saving, add apps and websites to filter lists, delete snapshots, and reset Recall. Sensitive-information filtering is on by default and is intended to filter snapshots when potentially sensitive data, such as passwords or credit-card details, is detected. It is a filter, not a guarantee that sensitive material can never appear in a snapshot.
Website filters have limits
Microsoft documents cases where website content may still appear in snapshots: when it is embedded in another site, when the filtered page is open in a background tab, or when browser history is open. Filtering also does not prevent websites, organizations, or internet service providers from knowing that you visited a site. Optional feedback can send Recall data to Microsoft, including screenshots attached to feedback. Microsoft’s documentation details these caveats.
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Storage, retention, deletion, and EEA exports
Recall lets users set a storage cap and choose a retention period of 30, 60, 90, or 180 days, or unlimited. When the cap is reached, the oldest snapshots are deleted. You can also delete all snapshots or remove them by time range. Microsoft’s Recall guide describes these settings.
In the EEA, Microsoft documents export as an explicit user action. Export choices include the last 7 days, 30 days, or all snapshots, as well as continuous export. During setup, Recall displays an export code needed to decrypt exported data; Microsoft says it does not store or recover that code. Exported files are separate from the local Recall store: resetting Recall deletes local snapshots and resets settings, but does not delete copies already exported. Microsoft’s support guidance covers export and reset behavior.
Personal PCs and work or school devices differ
| Control | Personal, unmanaged PC | Commercial or education device |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Optional on a qualifying Copilot+ PC. | Removed by default until an IT administrator allows it. |
| Who enables snapshot saving? | The individual user must opt in. | The user must still opt in; Microsoft says an administrator cannot silently enable saving for an individual. |
| Retention and filters | The user can set retention, storage limits, and app or website filters. | Administrators can control availability and, under applicable editions and policies, storage duration and app or website filters. |
| EEA export | Available as an explicit user action in the EEA. | Subject to a separate EEA export policy control. |
Microsoft’s administrator guidance explains the organization controls. If this is a work or school PC, check with IT rather than assuming personal settings or availability apply.
Should you try Recall?
Trying Recall means choosing to keep a searchable history of screen snapshots on a compatible device. Before opting in, decide whether that record is useful enough to justify storing it, review the retention and filtering controls, and consider whether you want snapshots associated with work, financial, health, or other sensitive activity. If you do not want that history, leave saving off; if it is already enabled, pause or disable it and delete existing snapshots as needed. For EEA exports, remember that exported copies are not removed by a Recall reset.
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